Location: United States

Surname/tag: Guth
This letter is part of the letters of Franz Xaver and Leopold Guth.
He describes how much money he consumed after arriving in New York and that a shoemaker named Xaver lent him 12 Dollars, which his parents should give to that one, when he comes to Simonswald. They should also do a pilgrimage to St. Märgen for him.
Transcript
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front |
- Liebe Eltern, als ich in Neu York angekommen
- war so hatte ich noch 24 Gulden ich mußte
- mir dan einen Koffer
bezahlenkaufen welcher - noch 5 fl gekostet und dann Kost für eine Woche
- 5 fl dann wieder für Wasch 1 fl 30 x dann blieb
- mir nur noch 12 Gulden. Wir müßen aber denken
- hier in Amerika hat ein ein Doller eben so
- viel werth als bey Euch ein Gulden, damnach konnte
- ich meine 12 Gulden für nichts reichen zum weiter
- reisen, der Schuhschneider Xaveri gab mir also
- 12 Dollar, das ist 30 fl welche Ihr Ihm wenn
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- er nach Deutschland kommt bezahlen können
- ich habe Ihm eine Schrift gegeben dafür.
- Ich habe auch eine Wahlfahrt nach Sant
- Mergen, versprochen, welche einmal jemand
- aus Euch verrichten kann für mich.
- Nun lebet wohl und bekümert
- Euch nicht so, und besonders Du meine
- liebe Mutter
- auf Wiedersehen
- X1v29 G5th
- ich konnte Euch nicht ein Adresse von Meister
- geben, vielleicht gehe
- ich wieder von Ihm.
Research notes
Apart from most of the other letters of the two brothers, this one doesn't contain the date, when Franz Xaver Guth actually wrote it. In his letter of 1 August 1847 he wrote that after his arrival in New York on 13 July 1847, he stood there for eight days, but didn't find an occupation that suited him, so he moved on. One could assume that this letter was written directly after he received the money from Xavier (Schuhschneider Xaveri), maybe even in that ones presence, as proof that he told his parents that they should give him 30 fl. and do a pilgrimage to St. Märgen?
The identity of Schuhschneider Xaveri is not obvious at the moment. It seems that Franz Xaver's parents must have known him. In his letter of 1 August 1847 Franz Xaver sends regards to shoe maker Joseph and his wife (Schuhjoseph und Schuhmacheri). Maybe those were Xaveri's parents?
In a letter written probably in early 1849 Xaver asks if his parents paid the money to Xaveri's guardian (Pfleger). If not, he would send the money directly to Xaveri to New York. This implies, that he lived there for at least two years.
Acknowledgements
- Hans-Jürgen Wehrle for providing the document copies and some transcriptions
- Eva Gawlik-Sutter for transcription and everything else
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